Beautiful Bespoke Art Coveralls – uniquely designed to inspire you

Find Joy in the Journey – a quote I saw recently as I researched a topic on Pinterest and certainly a way of life I personally aspire to. Today of course, I have an exciting sewing project to share with you. My unique custom lab coat, art coveralls, craft apron, call it what you will, is a beautiful and perfectly thoughtful project, evolving over time, rather like a joyous journey itself. Perhaps when you’ve seen it, this is a craft you might be inspired to try adapting with your own style and creativity too. I also wanted to address another topic today which has been prevalent in my world recently and one you may have experienced yourself at some stage in your life. Overwhelm. Is it familiar to you too? Do join me when you are ready for a pretty craft moment and more overwhelm chat…

Of course, I have experienced this feeling before. I have always been a busy and creative person enjoying a great many challenging roles and projects in my life, so this is not the first time I’ve wanted to press the pause button. What I am beginning to notice, is jobs appear to be on the increase around here and are stealing from many a crafting moment. For example, household chores are most definitely on the rise. With several rooms in the home looking considerably more beautiful these days, I cannot avoid housework as I managed to do with great aplomb much of last year. Weeds also are definitely on the up as we spruce up much of the garden meaning as soon as I complete one area, another needs my undivided attention.

As I type and think some more, I find myself wondering if my feelings are due in no small part to the way we have lived this past year or so. There has been a lot more time to simply be hasn’t there? I got to ignore housework; after all, no one was coming to visit. And I got to spend more time at Belle’s, gardening, crafting, cooking and of course reading. I felt as though there were more hours in the day and thus more time to spare. Can you identify with any of this?

You would never know reading this, once upon a time I successfully taught time management skills for a living. I know the principles of the must do, should do and could do hierarchy. Seemingly I’m a much better teacher than student since this practice for now, eludes me.

However, one craft I have made time for usually in the early evening is the decorating of a wonderful birthday present Little Miss gifted me recently. My wish list had been viewed with a little scepticism – industrial glue gun (which I also received) extension lead and a lab coat – yet she came up trumps presenting me with this simple unadorned lab coat which I could not wait to get started on. Time spent in my craft room is often messy and I have spoiled numerous t-shirts and jumpers with paint and glue in the past. I had for some time wanted something akin to art coveralls which I could spend time decorating and patching as I liked. I had steered away from conventional art aprons since they did not provide the coverage particularly on the arms I was looking for. So, a custom lab coat seemed more appropriate.

I began with a flower pocket trim inspired by so many of you and in my eyes representing a spring or summer border from my cottage garden. And added a piece of lace generously wrapped around gorgeous vintage white linen I purchased recently from Marilyn @mar32ilyn who often sells her delightful fabric finds through Instagram.

I routed through my button jar and discarded the cheap plastic buttons at the front of the lab coat in favour of bright blue glass buttons which I bought a while back from Cary @shopatlovevintage who again sells fascinating haberdashery and treasures in her regular on-line sales. Definitely two ladies to set your Instagram post notifications for.

The cuff buttons were replaced with these a clever little way to create your own unique buttons, to which I added little scraps of vintage pink fabric. And to the other pocket I stitched a piece of ombre pink linen, my first foray into fabric painting which you first saw here – another craft I should love to explore further – and topped with the underside of a plain white shirt button; far prettier this way around.

And I felt sure I could do much better than the dull, factory added tag by replacing instead with a pretty tape from here and stitching just the two short sides so the label can act as a hanging tag too. On the reverse of the art coveralls I stitched two more blue buttons from my collection, this time with delicate floral detail and created a small patchwork using three vintage scraps – two most certainly French – and a teeny tiny red button I had squirrelled away for a great many years.

Either side of the lab coat opening I have added a piece of fabric from the M children’s childhoods: One piece taken from cosy pyjamas, the other from linen bedroom blinds and simply secured both with basic cross stitch and over stitch. And a type written message to keep on reminding me to slow the whole thing right down is added to a scrap of a border salvaged from a jumble sale tablecloth and fixed to another small and useful pocket.

Much of the back yoke of my custom lab coat is yet to unfold. I feel sure a larger embroidery incorporating a new to me design of clouds of cow parsley might work its way to here, so I have experimented on a little scrap of fabric. Or perhaps I will find a way to incorporate this project in a back yoke design. And then there is the collar too, itself another project in the making. I hope to show you my completed art coveralls one day.

If you are an accomplished embroiderer, I can only imagine what you might create yet, as with all my crafts, you need not be a master of the art. If you have never had a try at sewing, grab a needle and thread, a scrap of fabric and your project and away you go. I know I don’t need to say, your art coveralls could be created from anything you might have around your home. An oversized t-shirt or maybe a dress shirt destined for the charity shop pile, an old apron or even a comfy old cardigan which might have seen better days.

Another delightful craft I have yet to try is the wonderful world of hexies. I imagine you to be a hexie fan. Are you an expert, a beginner or perhaps like me, simply an observer for now? I long to incorporate a hexie or two on my custom lab coat or perhaps hexie-my-way-through a faded and worn cushion or throw for Belle. Do you suppose that’s my problem? Too many ideas and no time machine discovery yet? I live in hope. Until next week…x